Welcome back everybody. We’re all familiar with wines like Chardonnay and Merlot but there are so many lesser-known grapes out there to discover! Here to highlight vineyard vanguards to sip this spring is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular online food and wine pairing classes. Welcome back, Natalie! Natalie, before we get to the wine, congratulations are in order because you were selected as the 2024 Canada Wine Champion Award! It’s presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, commitment and passion for the advancement of the Canadian wine industry. Today we’re […]
Author: Natalie MacLean
Wine and Comfort Food Pairing: Revel in Your Rut
Yes, I know that I’m supposed to be forward-looking to spring with a chirpy article about zesty white wines to pair with fresh vegetables, but it’s so cold outside … and I’m tired of writing seasonally-appropriate editorial content. So let’s make wallowing fun, and turn to comfort wines paired with comfort food. In our continuing video series with Canadian Press, we look at quick tips on pairing those old favourites, from braised meat to pasta in cream sauce with wine. It’ll make you (almost) care what time of year it is when you have bottled sunshine. Here are my favourite […]
Eggs-cellent Wines & Whiskies for Easter Brunch
Many of us will be gathering with family and friends for Easter and Passover meals this weekend. Which wines and spirits should you serve with fish, lamb and those irresistible chocolate bunnies? Here to help us than drinks expert Natalie MacLean, editor Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be here with you! As a determined hedonist, I like something a little more than orange juice for Easter brunch—unless, of course, it’s a mimosa. The wines that work best for spring holidays are zesty and lighter than those we drink in the winter—they’ll […]
Eggs, Ham, and a Dram: Which Wines & Whiskies to Pour for Easter?
Just in time for Easter and Passover we’re going to crack open some common wine and whisky myths. And who better to lead our eggs-pedition than our favourite drinks expert Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Dina and Tim, as the Mad Natter, I’m egg-cited to hop into this topic with you! Clearly, the yolk’s on us for this episode 😉 Great! Where are we starting? Many of us will be enjoying an Easter brunch of omelettes or quiche. So myth number 1 is that eggs […]
World Malbec Day Celebrates Argentina’s Flagship Red Wine
Leanne and I had a great time chatting about Malbec on CTV. Did you know that April 17 is Malbec World Day (#MalbecWorldDay), celebrating the flagship red grape for the wines of Argentina, as well as a blending grape in Bordeaux and other regions? You’ll find my most reviews and ratings of Malbec Wines here. The Malbec grape produces wines that stylistically fall between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with more plummy richness and roundness than Cabernet, but firmer tannins and structure than Merlot. Pair Malbec with beef, turkey, spicy dishes, tomato sauces, meaty casseroles, hamburgers, sausages, steak and kidney pie, […]
How Can a Vineyard (or Life) Disaster Turn Into a Good Thing? Sally Evans’ Life Story is Proof That it Can
Introduction How can a vineyard disaster become an unexpected opportunity to innovate? How does storytelling transform wine marketing? What innovative pairings go beyond red wine and red meat? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Sally Evans, author of the new memoir, Make The Midlife Move: A Practical Guide to Flourish after Fifty. You can find the wines we discussed here. Giveaway Three of you are going to win a copy of her terrific new memoir, Make The Midlife Move: A Practical Guide to Flourish after Fifty. How to Win To qualify, all you have […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings: April 12, 2025
You can access the wines that I reviewed as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. If you are a Paid Member, you can add my wine picks to your custom shopping list with one click and access that list on your smartphone to find the stock for each wine in your closest LCBO store. You can also see my wine reviews for March 29th These are just some of the benefits of supporting our wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a day or two before the release based on the LCBO doing so. Curious […]
Start a Bordeaux Winery and Make The Midlife Move with Sally Evans
Introduction What’s one of the most challenging aspects of being a new winemaker in Bordeaux, especially if you’re a middle-aged foreigner who is making wine for the first time? How did the Bordeaux sub-region of Fronsac lose its fame after being a region favoured by French royalty? What if the only thing holding you back from a fresh start, a new project or a major life change is you? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Sally Evans, author of the new memoir, Make The Midlife Move: A Practical Guide to Flourish after Fifty. You can find […]
5 Terrible Wine and Food Pairings and How to fix Them
We all know that a big red wine pairs well with a steak, but what about more difficult dishes like vegetables and sushi? Well here to tell us about 5 terrible wine and food matches, and how to fix them, is Natalie MacLean, the author of the upcoming memoir, Wine Witch on Fire. Let’s start with veggies, especially asparagus, why are they so difficult to pair with wine? Asparagus and artichoke have cynarin, an organic acid, that stimulates our taste buds’ sugar receptors and fools us into thinking that everything we eat or drink afterwards […]
Raise a Glass to Red, White and True North Strong Canadian Wines & Whiskies
American wines and spirits are off liquor store shelves due to the ongoing U.S. tariff disputes. What do you do if you’re missing your favourite California Cabernet or Kentucky Bourbon? Our next guest has you covered. Joining us today is Natalie MacLean who offers Canada’s most popular wine review site at nataliemaclean.com. Welcome, Natalie. Great to be back with you! I’m excited to share with you some Team Canada picks for red, white and booze! Not only is the quality of these drinks superb, but the industry also injects $20 billion into […]
